Germany Retail Sales Fall 2 Percent in September
Germany's inflation-adjusted retail sales dropped 2 percent in September, reversing August gains despite modest third-quarter economic growth.
Inflation-adjusted retail sales in Germany fell 2 percent in September 2026, according to preliminary data from the Statistisches Bundesamt. This decline reversed a revised 1.2 percent gain recorded in August. Nominal sales also decreased by 1.5 percent month-over-month.
On an annual basis, real sales decreased by 2.3 percent compared to September 2025, though nominal sales rose by 1.2 percent during that period. The slump in consumer spending occurred alongside a broader economic expansion, as Germany's economy grew by 0.2 percent in the third quarter of 2026.
This growth rate trailed the wider euro-area gross domestic product growth of 0.4 percent reported by Eurostat.
